


Deliver Me From My Musings

by dead_girlfriend



Category: BomBARDed (Podcast), Dungeons & Dragons (Roleplaying Game), Original Work
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-06
Updated: 2019-08-28
Packaged: 2020-04-11 15:44:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 10,391
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19112764
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dead_girlfriend/pseuds/dead_girlfriend
Summary: This is a collection of things I wrote about a D&D campaign I'm in. Each chapter is a standalone story. A lot of it is specific to Osyka because that's my gorl. Summaries for each story will be at the top of each chapter.





	1. The Chandelier Incident

**Author's Note:**

> In her darker days, Osyka struggled to move beyond her past...
> 
> Ernest never let her live down The Incident.

Osyka couldn’t remember the last time she’d gotten this drunk. In fact, she couldn’t remember much of anything at the moment. The ground had never felt more comfortable, despite the unusual sensation of something sharp poking her. She rolled her head over. On her left was a small black feather, almost close enough to tickle her nose. Her feeble attempts to grasp it with shaky fingers ended in giggles. She watched the feather shift on its own, as if caught in a breeze.  
“Huh.... preeeeeetty drafty in here...” she mumbled to herself. 

“Osyka, what the hell?” came a voice from above. 

She blinked, once, twice, and slowly arched her head back to see an upside down Ernest, or maybe 3 of him, in her blurred vision.

“Awwww shittttt, sorry Ern-hic-Ernest. ‘m jusst...... floor... comfy,” she slurred. 

“.... Those glass baubles you’re lying on don’t look comfortable,” he said, pointedly. 

“oH! d’youuuu like it? I stole ‘em...... riiiiiightoff th’, th’ roof of that one dick barkeep..... who wouldn’ lemme keep drinkin’...... but I jus’, stole drinks when he wasn’ lookin’.... thennnn I stole th’ chand’lier when he’s EXtra busy stoppin’ a fight... stupidickhead-“ 

“Alright alright, I’ve heard enough... C’mon let’s get you into bed, birdbrain,” he sighed in exasperation as he moved to pick her up. He was met with a startling amount of resistance and a drawn out “Noooo” as she tucked herself into a fetal position. 

“C’mon, don’t make this difficult kid, you’re already gonna feel like shit in the morning, and I’m not about to let you accidentally stab yourself in the night.”

At that she rolled onto her side, then slowly lifted herself onto quaking hands and knees. She began to crawl to the bed, seemingly in defeat.  
Any relief Ernest may have felt in that moment was dashed when Osyka’s true trajectory became clear. 

“What’re you- you can’t sleep under the bed either!”

“I gOtta.... th’ll find me if I sleep -hic- up there,” came a muffled reply from beneath the bed.

“The barkeep? He won’t look for you here, I’ll make sure of that.”

“He can’ see me like this... ‘m jus’ like ‘im.... fuckin’ drunk idjit,” came a muffled reply.

Concern growing, he pressed further. “The only one who’s gonna see you like this is me, evidently, so you can come out.”

At this point, only her feet were visible.  
“ ‘s ok, y’re a goood guy Ern’st, ‘m jus’ pushin’ th’ garb’ge under th’ bed so y’don’ have to see it.”

“Who says you’re garbage? I don’t think that about you at all, don’t put words in my mouth.”

“.... he thinks ‘m garbage... tha’s why he jus’..... said ‘Go away, ‘n neverr... never c’me back.’  
B’cause. ‘m garbage. Jus’ like him.”

Silence filled the air for a minute.

“Is that what brought this on? Were you thinking about Mariu-“ 

“SHHHHHHHHHHHHH.... don’... don’ say his name. He’ll hear you.” 

“Fine. Either way, drinking this much isn’t gonna fix whatever’s messed up there... You know if it’s bothering you, you should tell someone right? Bottled up emotions are part of what’s making all the shifting stuff so hard for you.” 

“.... yeah, y’re right...... I needa drink more, iss not ‘nough toforget ‘im yet,” she concluded, crawling slowly out from beneath the bed on the opposite side. 

Before she could even begin thinking about how to stand up again, she felt a pair of arms underneath her. She yelped at the sudden upward motion, but her flight from the floor was short lived as she hit the mattress.  
Just as she started to protest, the man held a finger to her lips.  
“No, hear me out. The barkeep’s not gonna give you anymore drinks, and you’re in no condition to be stealing more. But I can be your in, I can get you something. You just have to promise me you’ll stay in bed while I go do that. Can you promise me you’ll stay?”

After a good moment of deliberation, Osyka nodded slowly. The bed was pretty comfortable.

“Good. I’ll be back soon.” 

And soon he did return, glass of water in hand. Upon entering the room again, he was met with a softly snoring girl, half tucked under a blanket, little beads and glass ornaments tangled in her hair. He shook his head and chuckled as he set the glass down on the nightstand. Another blanket wasn’t too hard to find, and he laid it over her before he left her to sleep.

—————————

Osyka couldn’t remember the last time she’d been this hungover. In fact, she couldn’t remember much of anything at the moment. But with the rising sun peaking in over the windowsill, bits and pieces of the night before came back. She groaned and rolled over. The decisions she’d made the previous night were writhing in her stomach and making her head spin. Her eyes fluttered shut once more, only to blink and open wide in shock. Strewn across the floor she could see parts of what was once a very elegant chandelier. 

“Well well, she lives,” a familiar voice began. “You gonna be sick, or are you good?”

She considered this for a moment, and met the eyes of her mentor, leaning on the doorframe. 

“...Dunno... Gods, Ernest what happened last night?”

He barked out a laugh at that. 

“Don’t worry, the most stupid thing you did is on the floor,” he explained, gesturing to the shattered fixture. 

“That’s... really it? Guess it coulda been worse,” she decided. 

“Well-“

“What? What did I do? How many people did I flirt with?”

“Osyka, do you remember why you were drinking?”

A shocked expression on her paling face was her only response, eyes no longer meeting his.

“Nevermind, I think I am gonna be sick.” 

After she’d purged the remnants of her bad decisions into a nearby bucket, she soberly sipped on the glass of water on the nightstand. The man stepped closer, gesturing to an empty spot on the bed, and with an affirmative nod from her, sat by her side. 

Clearing his throat, Ernest resumed, “You still didn’t answer my question, lyrebird. Do you remember?”

She shoved him weakly in response. “You know I hate that nickname,” she whined. “But.... yeah, I do... that’s pretty much it though.... ugh....”

“I don’t have to tell you drinking isn’t a healthy coping mechanism, right?”

“........ I knowww.”

“Would you say it was worth it?”

“I guess not.”

He placed a hand on her shoulder before continuing, “So, what do you plan on doing next time you feel like that?”

She looked down at her hands, a grimace on her face. 

“I don’t..... gods Ernest, I don’t know. Sometimes....” she trailed off, tears welling up in her eyes.

Tentatively he reached up to brush a tear from her cheek. She pushed his hand down before he could touch her face, but she took it into her own between them. He gave her a hand a gentle squeeze.

“Osyka, you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to. But I’ll listen if you do. I’m here for you.”

The tears fell harder, and her shoulders shook with sobs.  
Eventually, in a barely audible whisper she croaked, “Sometimes I feel like the only thing I could do to get away from him is to just... stop living.”

Immediately after she confessed that, she felt his arms wrap around her as he pulled her into a tight hug.

“No, no no no. I care about you. I want to fly with you and sing with you and smile with you. And I want you to want that too. I know you’re still afraid of what he’s done, but in reality he can’t take away your freedom anymore. He can’t hurt you, unless you let him.”

He pulled away from her, leaving both hands on her shoulders, looking her dead in the eyes. 

“You are better than him, and the only person you need to prove that to is yourself, until you really believe it.”

She sniffled a bit, her watery eyes blinking up at him.

“Did you really mean all that?”

“More than you’ll probably ever believe.”

She leaned slowly toward him, arms finding their way around his torso, and wept into his shoulder until her fears receded.

Osyka couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt this safe and at home in another person’s arms.


	2. Out to Get (poem)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A poem I wrote about Osyka struggling to speak up

I said not a word.  
I dared not open my mouth against,  
Harsh words force my silence.

Speak not unless spoken too.  
Wait for your time, never come in early or late.  
I learned by listening.

If I don’t speak, then surely I don’t need my tongue?  
No one would miss it if I cut it out.   
The voice in my head never knows best, but my companionlessness compels its candor. 

I’m hurting, I’m falling, I’m dying.  
The voices of the world tell me this state is eternal.  
My purpose is to watch myself wither away.

But you won’t let me.  
You, who brought me into this world,  
And you, who tried to take me out of it.

Why won’t you let it end?  
Why am I still going at your expense?  
Why am I here for you?

My silence isn’t consent or agreement.  
My silence isn’t about you, about resentment.  
My silence is a cry for help.

I try to speak but the words are stuck  
Behind the walls you built that prevent me from raising my voice.  
The words come too little, too late.


	3. Nightmare

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> NOTE: This chapter contains BIG BOY OSYKA BACKSTORY SPOILERS.
> 
> Team D, read at your own risk.

Darkness.  
She fights to open her eyes.  
Fights for control over something.  
Fights for power.

Faculties returning slowly, she sees the door form before her eyes. Its long, polished brass handle beckons her expectantly. She could choose not to open it, but she knows it’s not really a choice. It’s what must be done.

Her mind cries out at her in fear, anxiety threatening to spill out and freeze her over. Am I strong enough to face this? She thinks not, but she still steps forward. It’s all she can do, to stay in control. I must stay in control. Her clammy hand grasps the handle, and the contrasting heat of it shocks her. Nonetheless, she turns it, and the door swings open, almost as if it has a will of its own. 

A familiar hushed voice signals the return of her hearing.  
“Osyka, darling, you look stunning! My gorgeous girl, you’re going to make him so happy.”   
As she turns to meet the eyes of her mother, she feels the shift of what must be a thousand layers of the snow white dress she’s in below her, and a tug on the veil over her head.  
“Careful now dearie! It’s caught on a bead, you’ll pull it loose,” the woman chides, fixing the offending accessory.   
Looking down, she can see the floral beaded design trace down over her skirt. Her neck and wrists are weighed down with pearls and jewels that begin to feel more and more like heavy chains. In her hands she holds a startlingly bright bouquet of pink begonias. She tries to swallow back her nerves, but finds her mouth is too dry.  
Forcing herself to look up, her eyes trace the path of a petal-spotted red carpet that trails down the aisle of the church. The pews that line the aisle are filled with a large congregation of mostly unfamiliar faces. With a start though, she recognizes the form of a tall bronze dragonborn, smiling fondly at her. Arskan? She thinks, her mouth round in surprise. Sure enough, beside him stands the cloven satyr Vinta and two small gnome and halfling forms of Isabella and Teolin. They’re even joined by Stone and Trav, the latter grinning smugly, the former waving cheerfully. From another row, Ari Ella smiles at her sweetly. Veryt nods in approval, joined by Ariella. From another, Fesim and Thunder Jr. peek out from behind Aust and Wave. From the back, Shycah gives a short bark, and her head is ruffled by Jameson. Eva and Daira stand together in a row near the front, and Eva gives Osyka a wink. And in the very first row, she sees her mentor Ernest, with a smile as wide as the first time she soared. All of the strangers, and her friends alongside them look on, awaiting what’s to come.   
Nonononono, they can’t see this happen to me, she begins to panic. They can’t find out, not like this.   
Her breathing grows shallow and quick, but she’s jolted back into reality with the press of a firm hand on her back. Opposite her mother, her father pushes her to step down the aisle.   
“This is your moment Osyka. You’ll make me proud by doing this,” her father whispers in her ear. Her only response is a short nod, and she begins her dreaded descent to the altar. She tries to keep a pace just fast enough that her father doesn’t control her momentum. She tries to claim whatever control she has left. She can’t lose it, not again.   
As she grows closer, she sees Warren, her fiancé, eagerly awaiting her approach. “My darling, you must know how I’ve waited for this day to come,” he greets her, voice choked up in fond glee. “Join me, my love, let our hearts become one.”  
She paints a smile on her face and nods, struggling against the weight of her body rejecting everything about what would happen next. On the second step she feels a tug at her ankle. As she trips, dropping the flowers to catch herself, she sees what must be twenty ravens fly out from behind floral decorations on the altar. Her heart sinks into her stomach as she notices that all along the aisle, black feathers trail from where she came. She cannot move. All the eyes now on glued on her are sticking her in place.   
“Show off your fancy feathers, freak!” she hears yet another familiar voice cackle from the rafters. Her blood begins to boil at that, and everyone else disappears in her reddened vision.  
“BOWIE,” she yells up to where she heard his voice. “You don’t have to do this! You can have my place, you can have everything, I don’t even want this! But please, please, don’t do this to me again!”  
Only another cackle fills the air in response, but the silence is soon filled as the whispers begin. 

“Are those… wings?”  
“I thought werebirds only existed in stories.”  
“I hear they’re dangerous, we should take her out.”   
“How hideous!”  
“What a shame, the poor groom’s bride is a beast!”

From behind her, she feels her wings have unfurled, and stretch out in full behind her. Quaking legs no longer able to support her, she sinks to the ground. Her hand grazes the hard shape of her beak as she bows over to hide from her shame. 

“My… dearest, what ever happened to you? You used to be beautiful,” Warrens voice sighs.  
“Osyka, why didn’t you tell us, why don’t you trust us?” she hears her team accuse.  
“You can’t even keep it together knowing full well what was going to happen? You’re a failure, and no apprentice of mine,” she hears Ernest mock.   
And finally, the worst voice of all calls above the rest.  
“I always knew you would turn out to be a disappointment. I’m sorry your majesty, but my daughter isn’t fit to reside here any longer, let alone become your son’s wife.   
Osyka, I renounce you from the Fableman family. You are exiled, leave and never return!”  
With every word, Osyka finds herself sinking further into the floor. I’m not in control. I can’t do anything. Even if I could, I would only let everyone down. Her thoughts pull her down, down, down, and darkness fills her vision, numbness fills all her senses once more. 

Bright light shines in through the wagon’s entrance. Osyka feels a hand shaking her shoulder.   
“Hey, are you ok? You were shaking, and… well, you dropped some feathers.” Ernest is looking down at her, expectantly.  
She takes a shaky breath in once more.  
“Yeah, I’m alright… Hell was just a spooky place, easy to get nightmares after that.”


	4. Die, Lie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> MORE OSYKA BACKSTORY SPOILER WARNING, TEAM D READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.
> 
> This is a journal entry from the day after everything Changed. 
> 
> (This was a response to a writing prompt)

I always knew that one day I would die, but I guess someone lied.

Was it not death himself who descended on wings of the void? Who took his aim and pierced my heart? I know he granted what I desired, an end to this perpetual struggle to act alive; an end to the meaninglessness of my life. And had he not sunk that saving bolt into my chest, I would have taken it into my own hands, on the whim of the river below me. When he lifted me into his arms, and his single teardrop hit my cheek, I was certain he was delivering me to the Makers, that he welcomed me personally to where I belong, in the dust.

But then there was pain, pain beyond imagination, from a source I could not understand. I thought in that moment that perhaps mother had been right, that eternal damnation awaited those who sought their own ends. Eventually it gave away to nothing, and I was at peace.

My heart sunk when I took my first gasping breath as I awoke. It was then I knew he’d slighted me. Had he been real at all? I clutched at my chest, feeling for the wound. The slightly raised and smooth and tender skin was proof of his betrayal. As I turned my neck to once more observe the world I thought I’d left, one of his feathers, dark as night, brushed my face. I raised a hand to caress it softly with a fingertip, and wonder why, why had he lied? Why am I still alive?


	5. Promise Pending

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He loved her, no matter what. 
> 
> (Osyka backstory spoilers)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally putting up some more stuff I wrote!

Prince Warren Macaviton had always been a bit of a romantic. Every day up to his wedding, he’d written a letter to his love, professing his undying affections to her, his longing for their union. Her responses had always delighted him too. She wrote him heartfelt poems and gentle promises, which further spurred his eagerness to meet her at last. He had wanted to make her the happiest woman alive by giving her all the love he had to offer.

He still would, he swore, though the day of their wedding had changed everything.

Nothing in her lyrics and rhymes had hinted at the sorrow in her eyes.  
Nothing in her soft, kind-hearted words betrayed the cruelty she had faced every day of her life.  
The moment he met her gaze for the first time, he knew he needed to save her.

Sure, the whole wings and exile thing had complicated that a bit. But he wrote her one last letter, a hundred copies of it, and sent them out in as many directions as he could. He told her he’d never give up on her, not after everything she had been through.

On his desk sat a vase, and in it perched a single rose. First thing in the morning, when he used to write to his love, he replaced the rose from the day before with a fresh one. Today he gently lowered the 36th rose into the water, brushing a finger along one of its petals, thinking of his letter, which still had yet to receive any reply.

_The day I find you, whether it’s tomorrow or a thousand days from tomorrow, I will give you a red rose, and with it my heart, filled with my undying love for you. I can still make you happy, my darling. I love you._

_-Prince Warren Macaviton of the Kingdom Banthrolia_


	6. Canary

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Her experience in hell was all too familiar....
> 
> (not written from Osyka’s perspective, but again, Osyka backstory spoilers)

“So you’ll do it?”  
“Sure kid, as long as you’re paying,” the man said with a shrug. He plucked a feather from behind his ear, and signed the contract with a flourish.

This wasn’t the first time someone had asked him to assassinate a member of their own family, especially not when birthright was on the line. Not that he even remotely cared about that sort of thing. In the end, people were all just made of flesh that could be cut and bones that could be broken, and he could make a quick buck off that with his skillset. Had to get by somehow.

His dark wings were practically invisible against the night sky, and he flew swiftly enough that he hardly blotted out the stars. The target hadn’t noticed him, though she’d seemed a bit distracted. He wasn’t quite sure why she frequently took walks to the nearby river in the middle of the night, but it certainly made his job much easier. No witnesses in the middle of that little wooded area.

As he strung his bow, he noticed the plucking of a stringed instrument coming from her direction. Not thinking to much of it, he started to adjust his position and take aim. The tip of his arrow was pointed directly at her heart, just as she began to sing.

He paused. Her voice... It was familiar to him in a way he hadn’t thought about in a long time.

His arm slowly lowered as her song enveloped him. His entire body grew slack, and he wondered why he was doing this.

The song stopped.  
He looked down.

His arrow wasn’t there.  
He looked back up.

Without thinking, he dove down to where she’d once stood.

Why was her flesh so easy to cut? Her bones so easily broken? Why was her fragile body laying limp on the ground below him? His aim had been truer than his intentions, as it always was.

This was the last time.  
This was where he drew the line.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have some impulse control so instead of this being the chapter title or summary, the alternate title is “Uh Oh, Ernest Did A Fucky-Wucky”


	7. Battleworn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We interrupt your regular tragic backstory snippets with some Team D shenanigans.

Forte stood above her students, hands on her hips, grinning maniacally. They were all splayed out below her, in various states of consciousness. One of the six laying bruised and defeated on the ground began to pick themself up. They shook their head, curls bouncing around them, and picked their weapon of choice back up.   
“No, Forte. It won’t end like this. You can’t defeat us that easily.”  
She peered over at Teolin, sneering bemusedly.   
“Kings and gods have bowed to me, what makes you think you can refuse for long?”   
The halfling was on their feet now, staring their teacher down with an unflinching gaze.   
“Bring. It. On.”  
She cackled at that, picking her weapon of choice back up as well.   
“Challenge accepted.”  
“You can do it Teolin!” Isabella cheered. “I believe in you!”

From the ground, the rest of Team D watched the display.  
“I’m pretty shocked that they’re still going,” Clara commented.   
“Yeah, neither of them really look ready to quit, even after 5 hours of this,” Arskan replied.  
Osyka sighed in exasperation.  
“Showing Forte how to play Mariokart has got to be the worst idea we’ve had.”  
The volume of Stone’s snores rose in agreement.


	8. Closure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Perhaps in the future, he’ll find her again?
> 
> (an imagined ending to a possible Osyka backstory plotline)
> 
> (For obvious reasons, big Osyka backstory spoilers! Team D read at your own risk.)

It had to be her, he was sure of it. It had been years. He had searched the entire time, but at long last that would come to an end. No more sleepless nights spent worrying. No more waiting for an answer that would never come through a letter. 

The truth was upon him.  
Time and harrowing circumstances had surely aged her, he thought. No matter, he knew he would still cherish her. She had always been so kind to him, so thoughtful, so caring. No one had listened to him better than her. No one had loved him more than her.  
He stepped down from his mount as he entered the little village, brushing down is vest, fluffing up his sleeves for a moment before he strode toward the inn. From within he heard a rather jolly fiddle tune striking out a melody, joined by some drums, a flute accompaniment, and... her voice. He almost didn’t recognize it at first, for he’d never heard such lively tones escape her lips, but it had to be her.  
Just as the tune rounded off its final chorus, he took one last deep breath, and stepped in.  
The woman at the front of the small, elevated platform that served as a stage was as breathtaking as the poems she’s written for him all those years ago. A smile that shone brighter than the sun, a slight flush that warmed his heart more than his face, and a delighted laugh that brought him joyful tears to hear.  
Finally, finally her eyes met his.

Why, oh why did the light leave her life when her eyes met his?

She froze, completely in shock as he stepped forward, crying joyfully.  
“My darling,” he began. “It’s been nearly a decade. I’ve missed you so dearly, every single day. I’m here to save you at long last.”

Her eyes too began to fill with tears, but her face was filled with pity. She stepped forward too, to meet him, but she did not embrace him as he hoped. Her hand, which had lifted slowly to cover her mouth, began to reach out to cup his face, seemingly of its own accord.  
“Warren... Why? Why did you search for so long? Why didn’t you give up on me like our fathers did? Like everyone else did?”  
“I could never give up on you my love. Your kind words guided me down the path back to you. Your wings bring me no grief, for I know your heart remains in that form you were cursed with.”  
She shook her head and choked out a laugh at that.  
“This form is no curse, your majesty. It’s the best thing that ever happened to me. I’m happier than I’ve ever been, right were I am. I have so many more friends than I ever did at home. I’ve travelled the world, even saved it once or twice, and I’ve-“ she stopped herself mid sentence, unable to maintain eye contact.  
Suddenly he felt it. On one of the fingers that grazed his cheek, was a smooth, flat band of metal. Her silence was enough to tell him he didn’t need to check which one it was.  
Shell-shocked would have understated the expression on his face as she brought her hand back.

“I’m... I’m sorry Warren. I didn’t realize you were still searching for me. I didn’t realize you still felt this way. But I have to tell you the truth.”  
She sighed, before continuing. “I did write what I did to you, I won’t deny that, but I was never in love with you. I cared a lot about you, and did feel a connection, but it was never more than platonic to me. I wasn’t made to last in an arranged marriage it seems. I’m grateful to have had you in my life. But I’ve... moved on.”  
For a moment he looked ready to burst into tears, but he quickly wiped his emotions from his face as if with a fresh cloth.  
“I see.”  
He took a deep breath.  
“You never received any of my letters then?”  
“Letters?”  
“Yes, letters. I must have sent thousands of them over the years, all addressed to you, asking where you were, if you were ok. I worried about you.”  
She took one of his hands in both of her own, meeting his gaze once more.  
“Like I said, I’m the happiest I’ve ever been. I don’t want you to be sad anymore, not on my behalf. Please, I’m begging you, let me go. Leave home, make new friends, travel the world with them at your leisure... fall in love again, because you deserve to be happy too, happy and in love. But it can’t be with me. Not anymore.”

He looked down at the smooth, silver band on her finger.  
“May I ask who the lucky man is?”  
“Ah, I’m sorry, I don’t think you’d know her, she’s from another world.”  
“Oh... I see.”  
He raised his head back up, and reached his hand out formally to shake hers.  
“Well, thank you for hearing me out at least. You were always good at that.”  
“I’m sorry again, Warren. I am happy you found me, if only to give you closure. I’ll write you again someday, I think we could still be friends,” she offered, shaking his hand firmly.  
“Miss Fableman, it’s been an honor seeing you once more. Thank you for your time.”  
“I- Cloverwing, if you must.”  
“Is that her name?”  
“Oh! No, it’s my dad’s... the one who truly raised me, I mean.”  
He chuckled, shaking his head as he turned to leave.  
“You really have changed after all, haven’t you?”  
She nodded once, a soft, teary smile on her face as she began to wave her goodbye.  
Just as he began to step out the door, he looked back one more time.  
“Though it may hurt me for some time, I will never regret loving you with all my heart.”


	9. Prelude

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Osyka agrees that it’s time for her to leave the nest.   
> (not really spoilers, just a gentle moment with a bird and her mentor)

“... Look, if you wanted me to leave, you could have just said so. 5 years is a long time to let someone stick around out of pity.”

“You know that isn’t what I meant. You’re smarter than that. This is a fantastic opportunity for you. It’s what you told me you’d always dreamed of doing, and now you actually have a chance!”

She sighed, finally looking up to look him in the eye.

“You’ve already given me so much. More than I’ll ever believe I deserve. You didn’t have to do this.”

He shook his head.

“Maybe not, but I wanted to. You have a gift, kid. Not everyone can sing the way you do with no formal training. It’d be a real shame for that talent to go waste.”

She looked back down at the letter he’d handed her. Absentmindedly her finger traced the ‘S’ at the beginning of ‘Strumlotts’, and she considered the contents carefully.

“But, why here? Why shouldn’t I just find another bard to apprentice under for a bit?”

He gave her a pointed look.

“How well did that go for you before?”

“That! That was different!” she objected.

“Kid... I’m gonna be honest. You’re lonely. I’ve been gone on more dangerous jobs more frequently, and every time I come back, you cling to me even tighter-“

“I- I do that? I can stop you know, just say the word and you’ll have all the space you need-“

“No, no. That’s not my point. I care about you, and I also like you, despite the fact that you’re a pranking menace.” He said with a wink. “My point is, you need some friends. And you’re not gonna get any by sticking around me.”

She turned away setting the letter down on the table, and began to make as if to leave. Her motion was stopped with a hand on her shoulder.

“You’re not built for this kind of life. You can shoot things alright, and you can sneak around even better, but you’re not a killer, Osyka. I think you know that, deep down. You need to leave the nest, and see the world. You have to leave, so that you can bloom.”

He felt her shoulder quiver under his hand, and switched his grip to a hug.

“I’m not gonna be gone forever. I’ll still be part of your life. You’ll still be part of mine. And no matter where you are, if you need me you know I’m just a few wing flaps away.”

They stood together silently for a moment, and she let his words soothe her bittersweet tears. She rubbed her eyes, then turned to face him once more.

“Alright. I’ll do it. I’ll go to Strumlotts.”


	10. Hush Child

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A reflection of Hell.

When I imagined Hell, I thought surely there’d be screams. Wouldn’t fire engulf me, fill my lungs with ash and heat and agony? Was it really a place to be surrounded by friends?

Watching them suffer was hellish. Isabella’s Hell was a lot like what I’d pictured, and Arskan’s was worse than I could have ever imagined. Losing Teolin to the glass shattered my heart.

When it came down to it, I think I did know what awaited me. I promised him the next time I’d see him would be here; that sneer and that smug, omniscient glint in his eye know how to make me tick.

He led me back to where it began, he showed me the ends of my friends. He reminded me of how I’d been wronged, but I didn’t want to believe him.

The arrow dries up his lungs, and I’m alone in crimson silence.

He took away my voice, and everything is quiet here.


	11. Ragdoll (poem)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Her strings were cut, and she lay limply in the sand...

Dress me up,  
Parade me around,  
Pull my string,  
I’ll sing you a tune.

Shake me and scream,  
Toss me at the floor,  
Hold me by my neck,  
When you are upset.

Throw me away when  
You’re tired of my song.  
When I start to talk back,  
Snip my cord.

The angel sewed me up  
After I was torn.  
Gave you a second chance  
You never deserved. 

You poked and prodded,  
But I held firm  
Until one day you found it,  
The feather poking out.

A doll with wings?  
Not a doll at all!  
Throw me in the trash,  
I’m worthless now. 

One man’s trash  
Is another man’s child.  
Teach this rag doll  
How to soar like a bird.

Toss me in the air,  
Push me off a cliff.  
I may be a doll,  
But I’ll learn how to fly.

Aren’t you too old to  
Be playing with dolls?  
Send me to the school,  
So the kids can play.

Pull me by my string  
On your next big adventure.  
Lots of new playmates,  
So little time.

I’m just a doll,  
So of course I didn’t see  
The deception that you pulled-  
Or was that just my string?

Through the boneyard,  
Hold me if you’re scared.  
Hell’s not a place  
For kids like you. 

Back to school!  
Dress me up again,  
To fight then trust  
Then fight then trust then

I’m a loyal doll  
Always by your side.  
Even when you drop me,  
Just pick me up.

I’m only a doll,  
You can sew my limbs on.  
Make my wings come off,  
All at your will. 

Sorry if my stuffing  
Startled you as you  
Patched me up.  
It’s nothing to fret over.

I’ll dance and play  
In all of your games.  
My will is your own.


	12. Coffee Shop AU

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A self-indulgent coffeeshop AU ficlet bc it’s MY writing and I get to choose the ships ;PPP

Deliverance Cafe was a proud and self-proclaimed “homebrew” coffee shop, provider of all sorts of caffeinated concoctions and palatable pastries. Early each morning and late into the night, the little cafe on the corner of Beetzart Avenue served many a bustling customer. The staff was a rather small but dedicated bunch of young adults with just enough spare time to keep the place up and running. Arskan, a college lacrosse star, typically opened the shop most days before practice. He was often joined by Isabella, who worked another job at the local library. Teolin, an aspiring collections manager at a nearby museum, and Osyka, a singer trying to get her foot in the door, typically closed the shop late into the night. When he wasn’t running around trying to keep his many other businesses afloat, Vinta, the store’s manager, could also be found in the shop, tipping his flask into his afternoon cup of coffee when he thought no one was looking. On rare occasions Trav popped in to lend a help, though his hands were almost always a bit too full with his dissertation to stay for too long. Together, along with new hires Stone and Clara, Team Deliverance fueled a small population of local students, writers, and all in need of an energy boost with all the coffee and baked goods they desired in that quaint little cafe.

 

Though he wasn’t always present when he needed to be, Vinta’s sprawling network of friends, family, and acquaintances made for an interesting crowd of regulars. On weekdays, Chelunid usually came in after his morning run for an iced coffee, which he always dumped a questionable amount of protein powder into. Forte typically came by in the morning as well, ordering more shots of espresso the earlier it was. Veryt and Ariella dropped by every week or so for a date in the early afternoon. Maeve often stopped in toward the end of the evening for something strong to keep her and her Grahn going through the night, working on their next big project. When Saren stopped by, sometimes with Curio on her arm, sometimes with Eclipse dragged along, sometimes both, Team D always braced themselves for the long list of orders she had ready; it made them wonder just how many people worked for this business that any one of those guests would only refer to as “Slime Squad”. Countless strangers visited out of curiosity, but everyone always left feeling a little bit warmer.

 

* * *

 

One breezy day in late spring, Osyka was putting up a sign Vinta had made to advertise a summer special when she heard rapid footfalls hitting the pavement behind her. She turned to see a woman running in her direction, breathless and mildly flustered.

Her eyes lit up a bit as they caught Osyka’s, and she hurried over to the door of the cafe.

“Ma’am is, everything alright? We don’t close until 1am.”

“Being followed, would love to hide for a moment,” she muttered, looking hopefully at the cafe door.

Without another word, Osyka took her hand and pulled her into the cafe, flipping the “Open” sign over to “Closed.” She led her over to a storage closet, and ushered her inside, closing the door behind them. It was a bit of a close fit; neither of them could move without brushing against the other. As the stranger caught her breath, Osyka heard several voices and footsteps rush past. They soon moved on however, and the woman sighed in relief.

“Thank you love. Though this wasn’t entirely necessary, I appreciate your quick thinking.”

“S-sorry, I just, I’ve been there. You ok?”

“Quite alright now, if not a little squished.”

“Oh! Let me just,” Osyka started, carefully reaching around the other for the door handle.

“.... shit.”

“What’s the matter?”

“Door’s locked.” Osyka laughed darkly. “And it only locks from the outside.”

“Oh, well surely someone else could let us out?” the stranger suggested.

“Sure, in half an hour. I could have tried to text one of my coworkers to see if they could let us out, if I hadn’t left my phone out there… I’m so sorry, you probably have somewhere to be, and I just-”

Osyka felt a finger pressed to her lips, the stranger having effectively interrupted any forthcoming apologies.

“It’s alright love, no need to panic. I didn’t really have any other plans today than to read a bit, so I’m not missing anything. Besides, it’s certainly not nearly as bad as the situation you helped me out of,” she said soothingly.

Osyka nodded once, thankful her blush was hidden by the darkness.

“I’d read your nametag if it wasn’t so dark, but could you tell me your name?” the woman inquired after a moment.

“Oh, I’m Osyka. How about you?”

There’s a pause, and she hears her head shift in the darkness.

“Call me Eva. It is a pleasure to meet you.”

“The pleasure is all mine,” she replied with a smile.

The two made small talk for a while, growing more comfortable with their proximity to each other and eventually relaxing a bit.

“So I had to tell him, ‘Sorry sir, we don’t serve chicken here.’ And he said, ‘What kind of establishment is this?!’ And he just stomped away??? Honestly, we get some of the strangest customers sometimes,” Osyka finished her latest tale as Eva giggled.

“My, then I suppose one rogue author dashing through the streets like me isn’t so exciting after all,” she commented.

“W-well, it’s definitely out of the ordin- definitely not something y- definitely a first for me,” she fumbled.

“You flatter me dear, though there’s no need, it wouldn’t take any convincing to get me to come back here again.”

Osyka shook her head, and confidently placed a hand on Eva’s shoulder. “Please, the second we get out of here, you’re getting a drink on the house for all this hassle, no buts!”

The silence before the woman’s reply quickly turned deafening as it occurred to the barista how soft this woman’s shoulder was.

“Dear, I hate to break it to you, but that’s definitely not my shoulder.”

Osyka’s hand flew back as if she’d touched a hot coal, and she tried to put as much distance as she could between her and the author.

“I’m, so sorry, make that as many drinks as you want and also you never have to see me again—” her rambled apology was interrupted by a fit of laughter from the other.

“It’s quite alright dearie, that won’t be necessary at all. Besides,”

she continued, and suddenly Osyka felt a hand deftly cupping her cheek.

“It’d be a shame if I didn’t see you again, I think I’ve rather taken a liking to you.”

Osyka hoped to every god in existence that Eva couldn’t feel the heat radiating off her face as her mouth twisted into a bashful smile. For the briefest moment, she wondered whether she imagined Eva’s nose brush her own as the author drew closer, but that thought was loudly interrupted by the familiar chime of a bell as the front door to the shop opened.

“Osyka, why the hell did you close the shop? I’ve already told you, you can practice for auditions on your own time,” the barista’s boss began to scold her.

Upon not finding her in the immediate vicinity, his voice began to fill with concern.

“Osyka? Where are you? Is everything ok?”

Another beat of silence, then a reply.

“Vinta, the situation I’m currently in is the exact reason literally everyone has asked you to fix this door for months.”

He turned toward the source of the reply, quickly unlocking the door and resuming his shaming.

“Well maybe, if you didn’t always lock the door, you wouldn’t— oh. Oh. OOOOOOhhhhhhhhhhh.”

His eyebrows shot up and a knowing smirk grew on his face when the open door revealed everything he thought he needed to know about the situation.

“I don’t even know what to say anymore Osyka. I thought you knew better than to try and pull this sort of thing at work. This is a new low, even for you—”

“Vinta, please, have a little respect for your employees? Osyka did the right thing and got me out of a difficult situation with some wild fans, but thanks to this poorly designed door, we were stuck in here for nearly an hour!”

He stared the two down for a moment before nodding, seeming to believe her story.

“Well alright, if you say so. Sorry for the inconvenience ma’am, Osyka’ll get you set up with something to go and then you can continue on your way.”

“Thank you. Oh, and give my regards to Ariella won’t you?”

“Of course, miss Li’Sang.”

 

Osyka skulked off, beginning to set up the drink machines once more as Eva made her way over. The woman told the barista her order before finding a chair with a direct line of view to the counter to recline on. The flush never left her face as she prepared an iced coffee and chocolate croissant for her guest. Eva was already standing up as she opened her mouth to call out the order.

“Thank you dear. I don’t recall ordering a pastry though?”

“Please, try it? Chocolate croissants are my favorite, I think you’ll like it,” she offered shyly.

The woman proceeded to take a bite right in front of her, eyes widening in awe.

“I think it just became a favorite of mine as well. Thank you love,” she said, flashing a grateful smile.

As she began to step away toward the door, she turned back to the onlooking barista. “I’d best be on my way now. Thank you again for everything, I’ll be sure to drop by to see you again soon.”

Belatedly, Osyka waved goodbye, and let out a long sigh the second the woman was out of sight. She reached over to the counter and stuffed her phone back in her pocket. As her hand began to slip out, she felt a piece of paper slip between her fingers. She quickly pulled it out, turning cherry red once more as she read the number quickly scrawled across it.

“If I catch you in that closet with her again, I’ll know it wasn’t an accident,” Vinta chuckled, slapping her on the back.

“ShUT UP!!!!!”


	13. Birthday Wish

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wrote this for Osyka’s birthday back in July!

“Are we roughing it on this one?” Osyka asked Ernest as she stuffed a bedroll into her nearly bursting bag.

 

“Yeah, it’s uh, kinda outta the way. Shouldn’t be anything more dangerous than an owlbear out there though,” he replied, adding an extra bottle of lamp oil to his own pack.

“Funny things, owlbears. Did I ever tell you about the time I was so hungry I snatched an owlbear egg from its nest while it was still in the nest?”

 

“I don’t think you did. Didja swap it for a rock or something?”

 

“Didn’t even have to, the birdbrain didn’t notice it was gone until I was at least a mile away,” he answered smugly, pulling the last snap on his bag closed. He joined his mentee to assess what she had packed for the trip. 

 

“Got everything?”

 

“Bedroll, canteen, rations, the usual… pretty sure I’ve got all.”

 

He narrowed his eyes and a smirk rose with his eyebrows. “How sure?”

 

She turned to him, staring at him intently. After a moment, she spotted one of her gloves sticking out of his pocket. Rolling her eyes, she reached out a hand expectantly. “Ha ha, funny. I’d like that back wise guy.”

 

“No no, you know how this works,” he said as he waggled his finger condescendingly. “If you want it back, you gotta take it yourself.”

 

She moved in, her glare never leaving his gaze as she reached for the stolen accessory. It took her a few swipes as somehow he managed to switch the pocket it was in once or twice, but she soon reclaimed it. He chuckled as she tucked it back into her pack. 

 

“Alright, let’s get going kid, we’ve got a long, hot day’s hike ahead of us.”

 

The girl nodded, and a small smile returned to her face. She enjoyed accompanying him on missions, and was rather curious as to what sort of mission would require them to hike up a mountain. He led her out into the warm summer air, and they set off on foot.

* * *

 

The first half of the hike was peaceful. They entered a small, verdant forest that sprawled across the mountainside at the base, following a small path that wove between shrubs and boulders. A gentle breeze occasionally rustled the treetops, nudging a few lazy clouds across the sky above the branches. It reminded Osyka of the woods near her former home. The smell of soft earth and fresh air soothed her mind and soul in a way nothing else had in over a year. 

 

When they stopped to rest by a small creek, the two heard a couple of birds chirping gleefully above them. She looked on as Ernest lifted a finger, imitating a bird call aimed for a dove in the tree nearest to them. Sure enough, the snow white bird swooped down and alit on the extended appendage, joining him in song. Watching on in badly concealed childish delight, Osyka hummed a harmonized accompaniment to the tune carried by her companions. She nearly leapt off the log she was sitting on as another bird, this one a larger, darker raven landed on her shoulder to join the fun. Giving it a gentle rub under its beak as her heart rate settled, she resumed the tune with her newfound friend. The makeshift choir sang their hearts out together as the atmosphere around them stilled. The forest seemed an attentive audience to their performance, resuming its daily hustle and bustle only after the last note drew to a close. 

 

The two shifters waved as their new friends flew back into the trees. The man turned to the girl to see her sigh longingly as she watched the birds fly off. 

 

“What gives?” he asked, tilting his head curiously.

 

“Oh, uh, it’s just...” she stammered, embarrassed he’d caught her in a vulnerable moment. She sighed again, looking down and crossing her arms. “Look, I’m grateful for everything you’ve taught me. I’m a much better me than I was a year ago, and I can admit that I wouldn’t be where I am without you. I guess those birds just reminded me of, well, us. And seeing them fly made me just wish…”

 

He nodded solemnly in response, turning his chin up to the sky as he took a deep breath in. “I get it, it’s the natural next step of learning about how this all works. But don’t worry kid, I think you’ll find it’ll come naturally to you when the time is right. Who knows? That time could be just around the corner,” he suggested with a wink as he stood and collected his bag, preparing to resume their journey. 

 

She lifted her bag onto her shoulder as well, and peered up the mountainside to the peak inquisitively. Knowing better than to expect a direct answer to any questions she may have about his cryptic wisdom, she shrugged as she continued to follow him along the path. 

 

They made good time on their trek, reaching a flat area near the mountain’s peak just as the sun began to set. Though the sunset was breathtaking, they only paused briefly to admire it before swiftly setting up camp. A fire was started before it grew too dark, and they settled around it to heat up their modest dinner of cured meats and soft bread. They washed it down with some wild blackberries they’d picked on the way up, then dimmed the fire a bit so they could stargaze. 

 

There were a great number of stars twinkling above, and Osyka found herself lost in the dense amount of gleaming lights in the inky black sky. Ernest pointed up to a particular spot in the sky. 

 

“See that constellation Osyka? The one that’s shaped a bit like a ‘t’, with the bluish star at the top? Ever seen it before?”

 

“I’m not familiar with that one, no. Doesn’t it overlap a bit with the one of Altonia though?” 

 

He chuckled a bit at that. “Guess I can’t fool you, I did make it up. But I do have a story to go along with it,” he began.

 

“The two longer side bits of the ‘t’ are wings, and the long bit going down is the tail feathers of a bird. And you’re right, it does overlap with Altonia. But that’s not too different from the two of us. If we were up there instead of Altonia, that overlap’d be what makes us what we are. You wouldn’t be seeing all of us if it wasn’t there.”

 

He looked over to see his mentee tracing the constellation in the air with a fingertip. Then she met his eyes, a soft, sad smile on her face. 

 

“I don’t know if it’d be so bad, meeting someone without them ever seeing that secret constellation. I think I’d rather they care about how I treat them than about how I’m a shifter.”

 

Tension filled the air as his smile shrunk, and his expression became unreadable.  A moment of silence passed.

 

“I know it’s not easy, and I know you’ve been hurt before. Bigots aren’t worth your time and energy, but I’ve met people, non-shifters, who meet us where we’re at, with absolutely no judgement in their hearts. Someday you’re gonna meet someone who’ll tell you they think your wings are beautiful the first time they see ‘em.”

 

She blushed at that, hugging herself as she looked down. 

 

“Besides,” he continued, amusement returning to his tone. “I can promise you ya can’t hide ‘em in a committed relationship. And sharing that side of yourself with someone you love is one of the most intimate feelings in the world.”

 

Her face heated up even more at that, but she couldn’t help but wonder, “Even more intimate than… a kiss?” 

 

He shrugged. “I dunno, how intimate does a kiss feel like to you?”

 

Her face scrunched up into a pout as she buried her face in her arms. “Nevermind, forget I asked.”

 

Another pause came between them.

 

“... Osyka, have you never kissed anyone before?”

 

An owl hooted in the distance, as if to answer for her.

 

“It’s nothin’ to be ashamed of kid,” he reassured her, setting a hand on her shoulder. “You just have one more thing to look forward to.”

 

She groaned in exasperation, throwing her hands up in defeat.

 

“Ok, yeah, you got me, I’m 22, I’ve never been kissed before, and I probably won’t ever be until I’m at least 30, at the rate I’m going.”

 

He smirked, raising a single eyebrow. 

 

“30, huh? How much do you wanna bet on that?”

 

She glared up at him. 

“I’d bet 10 gold on that, that’s how sure I am.”

 

“Deal, kid. Don’t think you can hide it when I’m right though, you’re an open book with your emotions.”

 

He got a punch in the shoulder for it, but her grin showed him she’d been cheered up successfully. After a moment he offered her a hug under an outstretched wing. The two sat together in companionable silence until he told her they should rest for the next day. 

* * *

 

Osyka awoke to Ernest shaking her shoulder. 

 

“Wake up lyrebird, this mission won’t complete itself. Let’s get a move on.”

 

She yawned heavily and cracked her eyes open. Dawn hadn’t even broken yet, and the morning air was still crisp. She brushed the dew off her bedroll and got started with packing up camp. 

 

Despite his urgency in making her wake up, Ernest seemed in no rush to leave. He rekindled the fire, and was mixing what looked like a batter into a bowl she hadn’t remembered seeing before. 

 

“What are you up to there, Mr. ‘wing?”

 

“Juuust whippin’ up some breakfast, should be ready soon,” he replied in an unusually cheery tone.

“Wanna do me a favor and find more of those blackberries? They’d go great with this.”

 

“Uh… sure,” she shrugged, and she wandered off to let him ride whatever whim he’d found himself on this morning. 

 

A pocket full of berries later, she returned to find him turning over a crepe in a pan over the fire. A plate perched next to him was already stacked with several, and a bowl next to that contained what looked to be freshly whipped cream. 

 

Now thoroughly bemused, she approached him, setting the berries in an empty bowl next to the other two breakfast components. 

 

“This is pretty extravagant, I thought you woke me up because we needed to get going soon?”

 

“Don’t worry about that, kid. We’ve made great time, I’m not worried about it. Besides, I thought you’d appreciate a little breakfast treat on your birthday.”

 

Her eyes widened owlishly, and she couldn’t help but gasp.

 

“Is it really-? How did you-? Wait a minute,” she stammered in confusion. 

 

He laughed good naturedly at that as he flipped the last crepe onto the stack.

 

“Oh, did I forget to tell you? The mission we’re on, it’s my mission to make your birthday earn the title of happy.”

 

The deadpan she gave him for that pun was not as effective with the happy tears that pooled in her eyes. 

 

“That has got to be the dorkiest thing I have ever heard.”

 

“Yeah? Well fine, how about just a plain old happy birthday to you then, lyrebird?”

 

“I’ll take it,” she conceded as she pulled him into a tight hug. 

 

Eventually they sat down and dug in. The warm crepes and fluffed cream paired well with the tart berries, and at the end of the meal she begged him to teach her how to make them again someday.

* * *

 

The sun was just beginning to show signs of peeking over the horizon as they finished packing up the campsite. Instead of picking up and leaving, Ernest guided Osyka to set their things off to the side. She followed him as he climbed the rest of the way up the peak. 

 

The wind whipped and whistled around them, and Osyka freed her hair from her braids, letting it loose in the breeze. At the bottom of the mountain, the small village Ernest called home rested. The forest they’d traversed blanketed the entire mountain, and extended further on the side opposite the town. There was something empowering about looking down at the rest of the world and seeing how small it was. When she glanced over at her mentor, she could from the contented expression on his face that he felt it too. 

 

She looked on as his wings unfurled behind him, stretching back and catching the wind a bit. 

He sat down and let his legs dangle off the small ledge of the curved tip of the mountain, and patted the ground next to him, inviting her to join. That sat in quiet contemplation for a few minutes, drinking in the view. 

 

“Osyka,” he started. “Today I’m going to teach you something I know you’ve wanted to learn for a while. You’ve grown enough in confidence and control that I believe you’re ready to take to the skies.” 

 

Her hands covered her mouth, and she nodded, listening eagerly. He looked off at the horizon, smiling thoughtfully as he continued. 

 

“You’re gonna do me proud, I know you are. Let’s get started.”

 

He stood, offering a hand to help her up. Positioning her to face the wind, he instructed her to slowly and carefully unfurl her own wings. She hummed a tune to herself that eased her mind as she untucked them from beneath her cloak. As she shifted, she found that up here, the feathers that sprouted onto her arms, legs, and face didn’t bother her the way they usually did. Her long, dark beak and tail felt right even as she let herself assume this state. The wind ruffled her feathers a bit and she shivered, but relaxed when she felt a comforting hand on her shoulder. 

 

_ I can do this, _ she thought.  _ I’m ready. _

 

Ernest proceeded to go over the basics of wind speed, wingspan, and the like. She practiced positioning herself to catch the air currents, adjusting her tail direction, and flapping her flight feathers without lifting too far up the ground. Eventually she worked her way up to fluttering in the air for a moment, then to gliding from the peak down to where they’d camped the night before. 

 

When the first rays of sunlight began to emerge in the distance, Ernest gave Osyka a firm nod. 

 

“Give it a shot, Osyka. Use those wings to soar, the way you were meant to.”

 

She turned to face the other side of the mountain, a steep drop down to the forest floor below. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes. The last time she’d considered making a jump like this, she hadn’t hoped a pair of wings would catch her. In a reclusive part of her mind, she wondered if she should let them this time either. She opened her eyes, and saw her mentor’s reassuring smile.  _ Yes,  _ she thought.  _ I must fall to fly, but I must not fly to fall.  _ With that final thought, her eyes fluttered shut once more, she spread her wings to their full span, and took the plunge off the mountainside. 

 

Time moved faster than she’d imagined it would as she fell. The wind whipped past her face and the trees drew closer with every passing second, and the doubt started to set in as she looked down. Her wings felt frozen against her body, and feathers were tugged from her skin and into the air.  _ I can’t fall apart now, _ she panicked. 

 

“It’s ok, don’t give up,” she heard a voice shout not far above her. Ernest had swooped down and was falling beside her. “You can do this, but you need to relax. Look,” he said, gesturing to the horizon.

 

She tore her gaze from her impending doom to see the sun’s first light trickle above the horizon in a gentle greeting. Though she was already breathless, there was something about the way the sunrise looked from the air that completely reset her collapsing resolve. With renewed energy, she extended her flight feathers once more, catching herself and gliding forward now. She felt the new down feathers regrow to replace the ones that she’d lost. Feeling more certain, she flapped up once, twice, and met Ernest in the air for the first time. 

 

Flying circles around him, she couldn’t help but laugh wholeheartedly. 

 

“Ernest, I did it! I’m flying! This is fantastic!”

“Damn right it is, no other feeling like it! C’mon kid, betcha can’t touch a cloud.”

 

She laughed again, and with her newfound love for what she could do, she soared up after him.

* * *

 

Their trip back down the mountain was much quicker. They touched down briefly to grab their bags, then flew back down to the base of the mountain. As they made their way through the air, Osyka turned to her mentor. 

 

“Ernest, this is easily the best birthday gift anyone has ever given me in my entire life. I don’t know how I could ever thank you for this.”

 

“Hey now, I didn’t give you anything, you did all that flying stuff yourself. I am glad I could be there to watch it happen though. Truth be told, I’ve always wanted to see someone take their first leap off of this mountain. Thanks for letting me be a part of that.”

 

She nodded in response, and as an afterthought reached behind her wing to pick a stray feather off, and tucked it into his braid.

 

“I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.”

 


End file.
